The drive back through the islands is every bit as breathtaking as on our way in. We snap pictures from the car window as much as possible, or stop when we can to get more beautiful scenery shots.
We speed past Leknes (it’s literally a one horse town) and head south to Ballstad, which is one of the largest fishing villages in the islands. We are hoping to go to the Kraemmervika Havn restaurant there for lunch. We have decided that somewhere we will blow the wad and get King Crab, and this restaurant seems like a good choice. It is run by a fishmonger who began selling his fish to people in town. But no one prepared the fish as he would, so he ended up opening his own restaurant – then expanding into rental cottages as well.
More windy narrow roads lead into Ballstad, past houses and communities and this great wooden church.
We skirt the harbor, looking at all the large and small fishing vessels and finally reach Kraemmervika, only to find the restaurant closed until 2pm. Bummer! We console ourselves by walking around the little harbor, looking at the cottages, the boats – and the drying fish!
Oh well, best laid plans. But, it is still incredibly early, so we decide to head out on the other road tour we had mapped out (never thinking we’d be able to do both!). This time we head south east out to Flakstad island, through the underwater tunnel (not too terribly freaky) and all the way around this incredible fjord-like inlet to get to the little red church built in 1780. It is made of Russian driftwood and completed after the first church (from the 1400’s) was destroyed in a storm.
Totally cool, but out in the middle of nowhere. I mean NO where. Once again, our timing is impeccable as we get to wander around, take our pictures and hop in the car as the bus pulls up. Ah, the joys of our own rental car.
We make our way back around the inlet, snapping photos through the windshield as we go to give an idea of the scenery, but also the remoteness.
Since we still have plenty of time before the last shuttle at 3:30, we take a side trip out to Vikten, where a husband and wife team have created a glass blowing studio (him) and a ceramic studio (her) – literally at the end of the road here in Vikten. As we arrive, the husband is indeed blowing glass, which is fun to watch for a few minutes, and then to browse all his different creations. We pass on the fresh waffles being baked, even as the smell makes our mouths water, and cross the street to the ceramic studio, which looks more like the lobby to a hotel with ceramic pieces on display. Oh well, moving on.
Outside, the weather is moving in, so we hurriedly take some pictures, pile back into the car and head to Leknes...
…stopping at a lovely picnic area complete with tons of covered bench seating (darn! Should have stopped at a store for picnic supplies). But the view here looking back toward Ballstad and the Gravdal port are worth the stop – and we know our afternoon snacks will be waiting for us once we are back aboard.
We traverse the last few miles to Leknes easily, grab our gas right outside of town and make the shuttle without any problems. Back on the tender and in our rooms, we enjoy the balcony in the sun – and another fantastic and picturesque sail out.
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